Time-controlled apparatus



April 24, 1928. 1,667,356

c. M. PEAcocK TIME CONTROLLED APPARATUS Filed Aug. 29. 1925 2Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VEN TOR.

M ATTORNEY.

Apri1z4, 1928.

C. M. PEACOCK TIME CONTROLLED APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l Filed Au. 29.1925 INVENTOR. 7m/n ,is jf/ycoc/r I ATTORNEY.

Patented 2d, i928.,v

TIME-CQNTQBLLED Application :died August 29, M255.

rlhis invention relates to improvements in time controlled apparatus andconsists of the matters hereinafter described and more paticularlypointed out in the appended claims.

@ne ofthe objects ot' the present inventlon is to provide an improvedmechanism or apparatus for closing and opening an electrical circuit atcertain intervals ot time, and one embodying a quick malte and break oitcontacts to produce the snap action characteristic ot circuit switches,thus eliminating arcing between the contacts and the ulti'- mate burningout thereof.

Another object ot the invention is to pro- 'vide a simple and improvedsetting means for the apparatus by which Contact may be made, maintainedand broken at the desired timed intervals.

These objects or" the invention as well as others, together with themany advantages thereof, will more fully appear as li proceed with myspecification.

ln the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation ot one form of apparatus embodyingmy invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View as taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l.Y

Fig. 8 is another view in elevation with parts broken away to more fullyillustrate the mechanism in the interior of the apparatus.

`Fig. l is a vertical sectional view as taken on the line H of Fig. 3with the casing parts omitted to more clearly illustrate the gearing ofthe time train. l

Figs. 5 and 6 are detail perspective views showing the escapementmechanism .embodied in my improved apparatus in two different positions.

Fig. 7 is a.view illustrating a contact finger actuating pin used inconnection with my improved apparatus. Y

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention illustratedin the accompanying drawings, l indicates thel front wall of a supportor the like having an opening 2 therein' in which a cup-like metalliccasing 3 is disposed. Said casing includes an annular' wall 4, a rearwall 5, and a front radial flange 6, which terminates in an annularfia-nge 7, the front radial langevengaging the front face ot" thesupport adjacent the opening 2 therein. Mounted on the annular iiange 7is a ring 8 of insulating material which includes an inwardly extendingradial flange 9 spaced forwardly of the Serial Elo. radial. flange o ofthe casing l. lSaid tlange has a plurality of arcuately spaced holes l@therein and on the rear surface of said ring flange is tired a metallicring defining an annular shoulder ll. @n the front face .of the ring 8are provided numerals running from l to l2 in two series andrepresenting the twenty-four hours of the `and as there are tour of suchholes l r each hour, said holes are spaced arcuate distances apart,representing nominally a time interval ot' one quarter hour or ifteenminutes each. Embracing the casing l is a co er-lilre member l2 having arear wall from the rear wall ot the casing l, and in the space betweensaid casing walls and i3 is located a cloclr mechanism if of any2fainiliar construction. n

To the rear wall 5 of the easing l is tired a forwardly extending sleevel5 including a trent wall 16 and attached to the Jfront wall 16 of saidsleeve is the rear wall i7 of a cuplilre metallic member i8. Said memberincludes an annular than the annular wall l and said annular wall 19terminates in a radial Hangs 20 arranged in substantially the plane ofthe radial liange 6 of the casing. @n the front tace of the radial ange20 is mounted a dial 21 having the usual numerals thereon. Said dial isenclosed by a concave glass 22 arrange-d in a ring 23, and screws 24pass through said ring, and marginal part of the dial and then into saidange 20'to secure the ring and dial in position. v

Mounted .on the cup-like member 18 4and engaging therear surface of itsradial flange i3 which is spaced wall 19 of a diameter less 20 is aninsulating ring 25 and fixed on said insulating ring is an annularcollector ring 26.

Arranged within the casing 3 is a plurali ity of arcuately spaced springcontact fingers 27, all of which `are made integral with an inturnedradial flangel 28 spaced forwardly of the rear wall of the casing butinsulated therefrom by a ring 29, bolts said parts together. Each springcontact iingeris formed atits outer end with a hook 31 adapted to benormally engaged with the shoulder ring l1. `Sai-d spring lingers arearranged in radial alignment with the holes 10 in the ring flange 8 andany desired spring linger may be released from hooked engage.- ment withthe shoulder ring to spring inward] by inserting a pin 31a or the like(see ig. 7) in the correspondinghole 10,

connecting said spring finger being returned to hooked engagement behindthe shoulder ring as for instance by manually moving said spring fingerradially outward.

The clock mechanism 14 includes a minute hand shaft 32 and another shaft33. Said mechanism may beof the usual alarm clock type under whichcircumstances, the shaft yond the dial 21 is secured the minute hand 35.Journalled on the minute hand shaft adjacent the plane of the dial isthe hour hand arbor 36 to the rear end of which is Vxed a .gear 37. Saidgear meshes with a pinion 38jloose on a shaft 39 and rotative with saidpinion is a gear 40 which meshes with a pinion 41 fixed to the minut-ehand shaft between the bearing sleeve 34 and arbor 36 upon which thehour hand 42 is xed.

AThe time train gearing just described is such that the hour handyisturned in timed relation with the minute hand. The shaft 39 beforementioned is journalled in a bearing sleeve 43 xed inthe rear wall 17 ofthe cup like metallic casing 18 and on the front end thereof is secureda pinion 44 andk onthe rear end thereof is fixed a' second pinion 45.Secured to theends of the vpinion 41 on theV minute hand shaft are cammembers 464-46, radial each having ldiametrically opposite which connectYthe low oint of one shoulder with the high point o the other and viceversa. The purpose of thesecams will later appear. y

Rotativelymounted on the sleeve`l15 between the casing walls 5 and 17respectively, is a second sleeve 48'ca'r1ying/an escapeinent wheel 49 ofsubstantially large diameter and which has forty-eight teeth 50,one'for-v every two of the spring contact fingers 27 Fixed to the sleeve4b, one on each side of the escapement wheel are gears 51 and 52,respectively. The gear 52 is driven by a' pinion 53 on the shaft 33while the gear 51 meshes with the pinion 45 fixed on the rear 'end ofthe shaft 39. The pinion 44 drives a gear 54 secured to a second arbor55 journalled on the hour hand arbor 36 and fixed to the arbor 55 is anindicator-or -hand 56. Thisl :hand is associated with a secondaryandsmaller dial marking 57 on the main dial which markings are numeralsrunning from 1 to 12 in a clockwise direction and corresponding with thenumerals on the ring flange 9.

Secured'to the rear surface of the escapement wheel 49 whichis of adished cross section isa radial arm 58 set in the same radial plane ofthe minute hand shaft 32 as the shoulders 47-,-47, thej cams being so4'formed as to include eccentric surfaces meas indicator hand 56. rIhegearing between the y .escapement wheel and indicator hand is such thatsaid hand and contact arm rotate in unison and the position of said armis thus determined by the position of' the indicator 70 hand. The outerend of the arm 58 carries a forwardly extending stud 59 which is suit-L'ably insulated from said arm and overhangs the plane of the collectorring 26. Said stud 59 carries two contact brushes 60 and 61 re- 7 springcontact fingers 27 when said fingers B0 p are in their normal'inoperative position wherein they are engaged behind `the shoulder ring11. However, when any one or more' of said contact fingersl 27 arereleased as before described, -they will yield inwardly so as to beengaged by the contact brush 61 in the rotation of the arm 58, as bestshown 111 Fig. 3. l'

As will be apparent, the pinion 53 on the theescapement wheel 49 butmeans are provided to arrest and release said wheel at uniformintervals, thus controlling or govern-y ing the intermittent step bystep movement of said'escapement wheel, which movements 9.5

half the distance between the teeth on said escapement wheel or inotherwords an arcuate distance equal to the spacing between the springcontact fingers 27.

The anchor is not vibrated continuously as in a watch or clock, but onlyat predetermined intervals. Pivoted to the free end otv the anchor leveris a dependingarm 66 which includes a shoulder 67 and the relative anguflar position between said lever and arm is determined by a spring 68,fixed at one end to said lever and engaging it at its other end with afixed part on said arm. A downward inovementis imparted to sald arm 66by a lever 69 to `oscillate'the anchor in one direction, afterwhich-the` arm 1s released from S said lever as w1ll presently appearand will be oscillated in the other direction by a spring 70 connectingthe pallet arm 65a of the anchor with a fixed part'of the casing.

The lever 69 has a shaft 70a at one end by. 125

means of which it is suitably journalied 1n the casing and the other endof said lever has a lateral extension 71 which extends 'into the planeof the arm 66 to engage the shoulder 67 thereon. spring 72 (see Fig.

I shaft 33, through the gear 52 tends to rotate, 90

Said anchor includes a 100 (Bil ,heine leest nenes@ 5) xed at one end tosaid lever 69 end at its other end to e lined part ol" the casingimparts e normally downward movement to said lever which is resisted bys datent arm 73 with which said lever engages. 'lhe detent armcarries andetent 74e at one end adapted to ride uponthe periphery of one o i thecams lo and will impart a slow upward swing to the lever 69 and thenermit .a quick downward swing thereof (un er the action or' the springs72) in accordance with the shape olA the cam 46. 'lhe detent arm ispivoted at its opposite end on en arm 75 which latter arni is journalledon the bearing 34 and said arm 75 includes .an arcuate part 76 with aforward extension 77 at its i're-e end which terminates short of thedial 2l and inf/line with a short arcuate slot 2ltherein., preferably onthe lett hand side oil the vertical median plane oil said dial. By esuitable ineans inserted throngh'seid slot and engaged with theextension 77 the same may he moved to set the detent with relerence rothe position of one ol the shoulders l? ol the associated cam lo. lWhenone of the shoulders or the earn approaches end reaches the detent9 saiddetenr slips oli the sains and the spring 72 actuates the lever 69 andthrough the arm 66 to oscillete the anchor in one direction and permitthe escape wheel to receive one impulse or step lov step movement., thisposition the parte wheel, a like movement isimpsrted to the brush arm 58brushes carried thereby. At the predetermined time7 the arm 56 isreleased from engagement with the lever extension ll is oscillated intie other direction to permit the escegoernent wheel to receive anotherimpulse and the ineens tor releasing said arm 66 is es follows: 80 indi-Cates a lever which has a roclr shalt 8l at one pivoted in the casing env suitahle manner. The other end of said lever rests upon s detent 82(see Fig.. 3) carried on the free end oi a. detent erm 83, seid cle-ltent riding' on the periphery of the other cani The said lever isnormally held eeeinst the detent 82 lov a spring 8l (see llir 6) andabout mid-Wav. laetvveen its ends said lever has en extension 85.adapted to engage the 66. The detent erin S3 is pivoted at its otherend on a setting; erm 86 also iournalled on the hearing del. "ThehearingV on which said setting arms lo end 86 are iournalled is threadedinto the Well lll and in this manner seid arms are clornped hetvveensaid Wall and a rediel iflongef on said hearing (see llig. 2) so as totrictionally hold them in the desired angular relotion. The memher 86has en arcuate roert x *o l 87 with a torrverd extension 88 which terminales short or the dial 2l and in line with an arcuate slot 2l therein,preferably on the shown in Fig. 5. @i course.2 in. the impulse movementof said escepernent.-

right hand side of the vertical inediadplane oi' the dial, the slot 2lbbeing orD a c3srreater length than the slot 21% By a suitable meansinserted through the slot 2lb and en; gaged with the extension 88 thesame may bemoved to set theessociated detent 82 with reference to one ofthe shoulders il? oi the associated cam 46. W hen said shoulderapproaches the detent, said detent moves inwardly and removes itssupporting engagement from the lever which under the action of itsspring Sel Will swing counter clockwise. ln this movement the lever partwill iinpinge against the arm 66 and swing it away from the member 7l ofthe lever 69. when the spring 70 acts to oscillate the anchor 67 in theother direction so that the escapeinent Wheel receives anotheryimioulse.y ln the further rotation of the coms., the lever 69 is againswung;r upward until the portion 7l thereof agein engages the shoulder67 of the arm 66 ready for the next operation thereof.

l have illustrated the invention as losing used to open and closean'electric circuit provided hy the conductors 90 .and 9i respectively,one connected to one of the loolts 3l) (and or course 2'?) end the otherlector ring 26.

li it is desiredv to close the circuit l o. end to hold it close forminutes, the pin la is inserte-d in that lll associated vvith $6oneolcloclr?. it is desired to close the circuit 'or one one quarter hoursbeginning l in., pins 3l are inserted in the hole 'l0 associated withone olcloclr. and in the hole i@ associated with 6tvvo i'ifteen olcloclrand .eil intermediate holes.

lf it is desired to close the circuit "oei3 6"'hour and halhour7 thisroof; he done by moving the indicator 77 in 2l? counter-clockwise. Forexample hole is desired to close the circuit at 212:59 p. the pin Siewould loe inserted in the hole l@ associatedy with 6one olcloclrl9 ondthe en tension 7? moved -in the slot fZln cenni clockwise on amountequal to one minute on the dial.. This closes the circuit one minuteloeiore 6one olcloclrls and opens. it fifteen minutes thereaiten sion 77in the slot 21B. it is possible to set the svvitcli to close the circuitup to ten s By moving the entento ell the contact lingers one connected'to the colminutes `loefore the hour or halt hour. lf L itisdesired to)close the circuit fora shorter interval than liitcen minutes, thernenoher 88 is moved counter-clockwise in the slot 2li. For example itit is desiredto close the circuit et lzOO p. in. and hold ity closed forone minute. the member 88 would advsncedin said slot en amount eo)Y theminute on the dial and this can 'be done at either hour or halt-hourintervals. However, due tothe construction mentioned there except as maybe pointed out in the ap pended claims.

l claim as my invention:

1. An apparatus of the kind described embodying therein, a step by steprotary member, a contact member carried thereby, means providing aplurality of annularly arranged yieldable contact fingers concentricwith said step by step rotary member, means .for normally holding saidfingers in an inoperative position with respect to said contact member,means for releasing desired fingers so that they will yield inwardly tooperative position to be engaged by said contact member, means normallyacting to continuously rotate said rotary member in one direction, andlescapement means translating said 'movement into a step by stepimpulsemove ment of said rotary member from one contact finger to the nextadjacent contact finger.

2. An apparatus of the kind described embodying therein, an escapementwheel, means 'normally acting to rotate the saine, a contact lnembercarried thereby, means providing a plurality of ann'ularly arrangedyieldable contact finger-s concentric with said Wheel, means normallyholding said contact fingers in an inoperative position with respect tosaid contactmember, means for releasing de'- .sired contact fingers sothat they will yield inwardly to an operative position to be engaged bysaid cont-act member, an anchor' member associated with said escapementwheel to alternately yieldV to and hold said wheel, a constantly.rotating shaft, 'and` means connecting said shaft and anchor to actuatethe same. s l

3. An apparatus of the kind described embodying/therein, an escapementwheel, means normally acting to rotate the same, a contact membercarried thereby, means provid-` ing a plurality of annnlarly arrangedyieldable contact fingers concentric with said wheel` means normallyholding said contact fingers in an inoperative position with respect tosaid contact member, means for 'ref leasing desired contact'fingerssothat they will yield inwardly to an operative, position to be engaged bysaid contact member, an anchor member associated with said escapementWheel to alternately yield 'toandihold -inembers Lacasse saidA wheel, aconstantly meansbetween said rotating shaft and anchor to vibrate thesame, and devices associated with said last mentioned' means to changethe time of vibration of'said anchor with reference to saidconstantlyrotating shaft.

4. An apparatus of the kindidescribed emrotating shaft,

bodying therein, an escapement wheel,means i normally acting to rotatethe same, a Contact member carried thereby, means providing a pluralityof annularly arranged yieldable contact fingers concentric with saidwheel, means normally holding said contact fingers in aninoperativeposition with respect to said contact member, means for releasing de'sired contact lingers so that they will yield inwardly to an operativeposition to be engaged by said contact member, an anchor memberassociated with said escapement Wheel to alternately yield to andhold'said wheel, a constantly rotating shaft, a cam on said shaft, meansbetween said cam and said anchor to vibrate the same andmeans forcausing a relative angular movement be tween said cam and last mentionedmeans to change the time of vibration of said anchor with reference tosaid constantly rotating shaft.

5. An apparatus of the kind described embodying therein, an escapementwheel, means normally acting to rotate the same, a contact membercarried thereby, means providing a plurality of annularly arrangedyieldable contact fingers concentric with said wheel, means normallyholding said contact fingers in an inoperative position with respect tosaid contact member, means for -releasing desired contact fngers'so thatthey Will yield inwardly to an operative positionl @to be engaged bysaid contact member, an

anchor member associated with said' escapement Wheel to alternatelyyieldV to and hold f said Wheel, a constant-ly rotating shaft, a cam onsaid shaft, a detent riding saidcam,` a lever operated by said detent toactuate said anchor and means for changing Ithe angular position of said.detenton said cam with reference to said shaft.

6. An apparatus of the kind described embodying therein an escapementwheel, means normally acting to rotate the same, a contact membercarried thereby,l means providing a plurality of -annularly arrangedyieldable contact 4fingers concentric with vsaid Wheel, means normallyholding said contact fingers in an inoperative position -with respect.t0 said contact'member, means for'releasilig desired contact fingers-so that they willyield inwardly to an operative position to beengaged'by saigd Contact member, an anchor l member associated with,said escapement wheel to alternately yield to and hold said Wheel, aconstantly rotating` shaft, camv cam, a lever actuated by one detent tovibrate said anchor in one direction, a second Ilever actuated by theother detent to release said first mentioned lever from the anchor, and

means independent of said levers for vibrat- Ing said lever inthe otherdirection.

7. An apparatus of the kind described, a casing, a cup-like memberarranged concentric therewith, a sleeve between said casing and member,a clock mechanism mounted on the casing and including a. shaft, means inA said casingy providing a plurality of annularly disposed springContact ngers, an annularmember associated with said fingers for holdingthem in an inoperative position, 15

means for releasing desired Contact fingers so that they 'may yield intoan operative position, a collector ring on said member, al rotarycontact arm carrying brushes for engagement with said contact lingersand collector ring respectively, and means driven by said clockmechanism and controlled by said shaft thereof for imparting step bystep impulse movements to said Contact arm.

In testimony WliereofI have hereunto set 2 my hand, this 22nd day ofAugust, 1925. CHRLES M. PEAoooK.

